diff --git a/scripts/user/account_admin.php b/scripts/user/account_admin.php
--- a/scripts/user/account_admin.php
+++ b/scripts/user/account_admin.php
@@ -200,9 +200,28 @@
     $editor->updateUser($user, $verify_email);
   }
 
-  $editor->makeAdminUser($user, $set_admin);
   $editor->makeSystemAgentUser($user, $set_system_agent);
 
+  $xactions = array();
+  $xactions[] = id(new PhabricatorUserTransaction())
+    ->setTransactionType(
+      PhabricatorUserEmpowerTransaction::TRANSACTIONTYPE)
+    ->setNewValue($set_admin);
+
+  $actor = PhabricatorUser::getOmnipotentUser();
+  $content_source = PhabricatorContentSource::newForSource(
+    PhabricatorConsoleContentSource::SOURCECONST);
+
+  $people_application_phid = id(new PhabricatorPeopleApplication())->getPHID();
+
+  $transaction_editor = id(new PhabricatorUserTransactionEditor())
+    ->setActor($actor)
+    ->setActingAsPHID($people_application_phid)
+    ->setContentSource($content_source)
+    ->setContinueOnMissingFields(true);
+
+  $transaction_editor->applyTransactions($user, $xactions);
+
 $user->saveTransaction();
 
 echo pht('Saved changes.')."\n";
diff --git a/src/applications/auth/controller/PhabricatorAuthRegisterController.php b/src/applications/auth/controller/PhabricatorAuthRegisterController.php
--- a/src/applications/auth/controller/PhabricatorAuthRegisterController.php
+++ b/src/applications/auth/controller/PhabricatorAuthRegisterController.php
@@ -416,7 +416,26 @@
             }
 
             if ($is_setup) {
-              $editor->makeAdminUser($user, true);
+              $xactions = array();
+              $xactions[] = id(new PhabricatorUserTransaction())
+                ->setTransactionType(
+                  PhabricatorUserEmpowerTransaction::TRANSACTIONTYPE)
+                ->setNewValue(true);
+
+              $actor = PhabricatorUser::getOmnipotentUser();
+              $content_source = PhabricatorContentSource::newFromRequest(
+                $request);
+
+              $people_application_phid = id(new PhabricatorPeopleApplication())
+                ->getPHID();
+
+              $transaction_editor = id(new PhabricatorUserTransactionEditor())
+                ->setActor($actor)
+                ->setActingAsPHID($people_application_phid)
+                ->setContentSource($content_source)
+                ->setContinueOnMissingFields(true);
+
+              $transaction_editor->applyTransactions($user, $xactions);
             }
 
             $account->setUserPHID($user->getPHID());
diff --git a/src/applications/people/xaction/PhabricatorUserEmpowerTransaction.php b/src/applications/people/xaction/PhabricatorUserEmpowerTransaction.php
--- a/src/applications/people/xaction/PhabricatorUserEmpowerTransaction.php
+++ b/src/applications/people/xaction/PhabricatorUserEmpowerTransaction.php
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@
               'status as an administrator.'), $xaction);
       }
 
-      if (!$actor->getIsAdmin()) {
+      $is_admin = $actor->getIsAdmin();
+      $is_omnipotent = $actor->isOmnipotent();
+
+      if (!$is_admin && !$is_omnipotent) {
         $errors[] = $this->newInvalidError(
           pht('You must be an administrator to create administrators.'),
           $xaction);